2017-18 MINI GRANTS

LET’S TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY $2000 Dorothy Fox Elementary

The grant will be used to enhance the working of VTS (Visual Thinking Strategies) as a method to talk to young learners about topics that are vitally important, but unrepresented in the classrooms currently including race, socioeconomics and cultural backgrounds. Population in Camas is becoming more diverse. Dorothy Fox has students of color, students from diverse cultural backgrounds, and students from poverty who come to school everyday and do not always see themselves in their curriculum, our staff demographics, or the literature. Camas is working on these elements. Seeing and Serving ALL students is the district mission. Schools have a responsibility to make a space where teachers and students can talk about differences in safe, supportive, and developmentally appropriate ways. In a time when our society is flooded with serious social and political issues, it is not too early to lay the groundwork to explore issues of discrimination, tolerance, respect, perspective taking and appreciation of our difference. Dorothy Fox will build on the strengths of VTS practices already established in the teaching team and make space for the kids to observe, listen, share, wonder, consider and explore through a curriculum of carefully selected intentionally diverse images at each grade K-5. That is the intention of this grant and the words and vision of the Principal, grant writer!

MATH MAGAZINE $699 Helen Baller Elementary

There’s joy in learning and that is how the math teacher gets it done. These fifth graders are engaged in an interactive way to learn many math topics. The Magazines expertly tile in math concepts to real world situations. Magazine offers not only lessons current in nature but the math procedures and applications are cutting edge. Teaching kids to love learning!

According to the applicants, Play is an integral part in the development of the whole child. With this grant, they will be able to create a playground that elicits movement, engages creativity, encourage exploration, enhance learning and inspire joyful play. Who can think of a better way to incorporate music with outdoor play! The playground is based on natural play and these musical instruments will give the children avenue for creative expression while outdoors. Addition of these instruments will be innovative and responsive to providing the kids with an amazing play space that will enhance growth and learning.

INSTRUMENTS IN THE HANDS OF STUDENTS $1950.64 Prune Hill Elementary

The money from the grant is used to place music instruments in the hands of the students and curriculum resources in the hands of the music specialists. This is a long term project which will impact not one class or few students but all of the students, K-5.

WOLF PRIDE CHARACTER TRAIT LITERATURE $902.68 Woodburn Elementary

Once again, a grant that will have a grand impact on each and every student at the school. Wolf Pride Character Traits will be taught throughout the school for many years to come. The program stems from the belief that structured social emotional learning is equally as important as academic rigor. With the funds, they will purchase specific literature connected with each of their character traits. They will be able to enhance traits by connecting character traits to diverse historical figures. By learning about the journey, character, and impact on society of the various historical figures, students will develop deeper meaning to the character traits being taught and gain awareness about the contributions various cultural figures have made in our world.

NON-FICTION READ: BEYOND TRADITIONAL NOVEL $2000 Camas High School

This grant will allow CHS AP Language students to experience reading and writing in a variety of forms. Not only that, because of this type of funding, they are able to support the increased class attendance over the years, allowing for growth of this program. According to the teachers, they feel while traditional fiction texts offer great insight into human nature and common literary techniques, exposing AP LAnguage students to a variety of non-fiction texts offers insights into multi-cultural perspectives, timely topics, and allows them exposure to different stylistic choices. For students to become critical thinkers in today’s society, they must experience all that non-fiction has to offer and this increased exposure to a variety of perspectives and stylistics choices should enable them to better understand their own culture and language, while being better prepared for the challenges and the education that lie ahead, according to the teachers.

MUSIC ENHANCER $1691 Skyridge Middle School

Main goal is to make one’s hard work shine through and be heard. A musical without the sound is deafening! Grant was provided to improve sound at all musical performances at both middle schools. Confidence and relationships are built on the set. Without proper equipment for performances is not a confidence booster. The students and the community will benefit from the enhancement of technology.